Page 60 of Want It All
Six Months Later
The Great Hall was full of people.
I turned around in my seat, trying to spot my parents in the crowd.
Tristan’s mother waved to me, smiling widely.
I waved back and blew her a kiss, then gave a less unhinged smile to Tristan’s fathers.
Sebastian’s omega mum caught my eye and gave me a cheerful salute; his mother acknowledged me with a graceful nod.
I knew that was her at her friendliest, so I waved at them both.
My own parents were a few rows back, sitting with Byron’s father; my eyes misted as my mum and dad blew me a kiss. I hadn’t seen them for months and was looking forward to introducing them properly to my pack.
‘Oh, your mum is so cute!’ Sebastian exclaimed, waving enthusiastically. ‘You look just like her!’
I’d met Sebastian and Tristan’s parents on a visit to Sydney during the mid-semester break; Tristan’s parents had flown from the UK specifically.
Meeting eight parents in one go had been a lot, but I was glad we’d done it; it had made this – the Banksia House annual awards night – and what was to come tomorrow, easier.
Our final grades weren’t released until after the award night ceremony, leaving the academic achievement awards – along with the later-year awards and the all-important Banksia Prize – a mystery.
Next to me, Sebastian was thrumming with anticipation; we’d spent the last semester in loving competition, challenging each other to work harder, aim higher, to get the best marks possible.
And tonight we’d know whether it had paid off.
Oh, Sebastian pretended very well that he didn’t mind which of us took first place in the year, but I knew just as well that it was bullshit. He wanted the academic award almost as much as he wanted the Banksia Prize. And after meeting his parents, I couldn’t really blame him.
‘No matter what happens, you’re both amazing,’ Byron murmured, leaning down to kiss me, then reaching to cup Sebastian’s cheek. ‘Plus, there’s always next year.’
‘Don’t encourage them,’ Tristan muttered. Our alphas looked so handsome, Byron in a black button-down and jeans, and Tristan wearing a pair of plaid pants and a linen shirt. He leaned down to nuzzle Sebastian’s scent gland. ‘The real prize comes tomorrow.’
‘Yes, yes, the bonding ceremony will be great, but Rose and I need the metaphorical gold stars, Tris.’ Sebastian’s knee bounced. ‘Inherent worth is good and all, but we need validation.’ Byron’s mother stepped onto the stage. ‘Fuck me, it’s starting.’
‘Good evening and welcome to Banksia House,’ the Dean said into the microphone, smiling out at the crowd.
Sebastian said I looked like my mother, but Tina Griffiths had been a mirror image of hers; the proof was in the photos Byron had put up all over our apartment, alongside shots of our pack and all our families.
I’d taken several of them, developing them in Banksia’s new dark room, which hadn’t existed until Tristan had politely asked for it on my behalf.
‘I’ll get my welcome done quickly, never fear. ’
There was a smatter of laughter from the audience, and Carla Griffiths continued.
‘This year has been one of change for Banksia House. A new dean, new members of faculty, and some updates in pastoral care practices and support procedures, especially in relation to our beta and omega students.’
I cleared my throat softly at the mention of new members of faculty; Professor Brandon Heathcote had left Banksia manor after the first semester’s final exam and had not returned.
His later-year students all had new tutors, and although I’d searched online, I couldn’t find any notice of Heathcote finding another job – at a university, at least.
‘Academia is, and always has been, a meeting point of progress and tradition,’ our Dean said, her tone serious.
‘And it is our responsibility – as people with the incredible privilege of belonging to and participating in this environment – to know that traditions affect and are enacted upon individuals differently, and often, this is not to their benefit. It is our duty, as scholars, to know when to let traditions go, and when to begin new ones.’ She paused.
‘It is with this in mind that I have the immense pleasure of announcing a change to Banksia’s admission procedures.
From next year, the two scholarship positions in every Banksia first-year intake will be no more. ’
There were some gasps from the audience; a few voices rose angrily. Beside me, Byron tensed.
‘Instead, there will be ten.’
There were some more gasps from behind us, and some relieved laughter.
‘Four positions will be retained for students of any designation who show above-exceptional academic ability. The remaining six positions will be reserved for students of beta and omega designation who meet or exceed our entrance tests. Banksia’s cohorts will remain small, so the hope is that these new positions will significantly increase our percentage of beta and omega students.
Our environment and support services will evolve to meet this challenge, with more pack rooms and nests available, and student leave procedures updated to include heats.
In this way, we hope that Banksia, over time, will become an institution where any designation can succeed – and not just succeed, but excel. ’
Sebastian began to clap loudly and, a heartbeat later, the rest of the audience joined in.
Carla gave a pleased smile. ‘A full breakdown of our new policies and procedures will be available from tomorrow on the Banksia website. But for now: the fun part.’ She shuffled some papers on the lectern and, for a moment, I could see her as a younger lecturer – charismatic, capable, and slightly harried.
‘Without further ado, the academic awards.’
Sebastian took my hand, his body tense.
‘The first year academic award goes to Alessia Lupo.’
Sebastian’s fingers tightened, then released; we both clapped and cheered as a stunned-looking Alessia stood up and made her way on stage.
‘Alessia beat both of you ? But your marks were insane ,’ Tristan said. ‘How –’
‘She clearly did better.’ Sebastian turned to grin at me. ‘Serves us right for thinking one of us had it in the bag.’
‘It’s not the ego check we wanted, but the ego check we needed,’ I agreed, grinning back at him. ‘But we’ll do better next year.’
‘Now we know who to beat.’ Sebastian turned back to the front and whooped loudly. ‘Way to go, Alessia!’
Byron’s hand settled on my thigh and squeezed gently. ‘You’re not upset?’
I shrugged. ‘A little disappointed, I guess. But if Alessia beat us , then she clearly deserved it.’ I glanced at him from beneath my lashes. ‘Maybe I’ll ask her to be my study partner.’
‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Byron growled, as Sebastian said simultaneously: ‘Absolutely fucking not.’
I laughed and settled back into my chair as the applause died down, snuggling into Byron as his mother read out the other academic prizes. Marco won the third year prize, while Marina snagged the award for best three-minute thesis.
‘And now we come to, perhaps, the most controversial and best-known of all our awards: the Banksia Prize,’ Carla said, once the audience had settled.
‘Awarded by the historic Banksia Revels, the Banksia Prize is given to one first-year student annually. The student may or may not be top-performing in their cohort. They may or may not be active in Banksia’s clubs.
They may or may not spend their time volunteering.
They may or may not be highly valued by their peer group.
’ She paused. ‘I did ask what the criteria of the award was, as no doubt many deans before me have done, and I suspect I received the same answer they did. The panel takes into account many different considerations when awarding the prize, and it simply goes to the student the panel believes deserves it – no more, and no less.’ She paused.
‘This year, the Banksia Prize will be even more controversial than usual. For the first time in Banksia’s history, the prize will be awarded to two of our first-year students. ’
I felt Byron’s eyes on me and turned to see his face split into a beautiful, proud smile.
My stomach dropped.
‘Both students are formidable scholars, placing equal second in the first-year cohort. Both embody the values we strive to cultivate at Banksia House: excellence, dedication, curiosity, and ambition. In addition, both these students have, over the past year, demonstrated traits we hope to see in all our students moving forward – bravery and resilience.’ Carla smiled, looking almost as proud as her son.
‘I need to add here that I am not a member of the Revels and had no part in the selection; anyone with questions about the process may contact Ada in the administration office.’
Tristan turned to Sebastian and me, his green eyes wide.
‘I am pleased to give you the joint winners of this year’s Banksia Prize: Sebastian Worthy and Rosemary Morris.’
The audience began to clap; behind us, I could hear Tristan’s mother cheering wildly. I sat still, stunned, until Sebastian caught my hand and dragged me upright, towing me towards the stage.
Carla enveloped us both in a warm hug. ‘Well done, both of you. I’m so proud,’ she whispered. She handed us both a rolled-up parchment. ‘There used to be a trophy, but now your name just gets engraved on the wall. I hope that’s okay.’
Sebastian turned towards the audience, glowing beneath the stage lights, shooting a smile that could only be described as gleeful towards his parents.
‘I know it’s bad to do things out of spite, but sometimes, it just feels so good .
’ He took my hand in his, and turned his smile on me; it softened, became adoring. ‘Fuck yes, Rosebud. You’re amazing.’
‘So are you.’ I lifted his hand to my mouth and kissed his knuckles. ‘My omega.’
‘My omega,’ he murmured back. ‘I guess we have to stick around Banksia for longer now.’